Event management software for nonprofits [Best of 2023]

Remember the age-old adage "The customer is always right?" Well, it's still true. If you want your business to survive in a challenging, competitive environment, the customer experience is essential. You need a clear vision and strategy for solving customer needs and leaving them satisfied, so they will come back and engage again.    Enter The Customer Journey Map. In one 2022 report about customer journey mapping from Hanover Research, 94 percent of businesses using customer journey maps said they help develop new products and services to match customer needs. Seventy-nine percent said customer journey maps helped make them more customer-centric. And 91 percent said maps drove sales.  But only 47 percent of companies use them. It's no longer enough to present your product or service and "wing it" on the customer experience end. You have to anticipate what potential clients will do, how they think, and what they will feel about each step of interacting with your business. That's what a customer journey map can do.   What is a Customer Journey Map? A customer journey map is a diagram that shows the process your customers go through when interacting with your business. It's a flow chart – a visual representation of a customer's experience with your brand. It could track an experience with your website, visiting a physical store, ordering a service, or any other interaction, and you can make one for each type of transaction. About 55 percent of companies using customer journey maps have between three and five versions. Importantly, a customer journey map is data-driven. It should include "touchpoints" where a customer does something, plus the team members involved, the feelings customers experience, and whatever action you want them to take. They often look like detailed timelines. Customer Journeys can ultimately help you refine the product or service you offer to better serve the customer and your overall community. You are ultimately leading to more revenue and better community engagement.   5 Steps to Building a Customer Journey Map   1. Set Your Goals First, imagine a fictitious (but realistic) ideal customer. Imagine them interacting with your business as realistically as possible. Think about what you want this person to come away with after interacting with your business. Determine what the big picture and fundamental goals of your customer experience should be.   2. Conduct Market Research Next, build up some data. You could interview actual customers and look through online reviews to see what the people using your business are really like. Talk with your team members as well. Find out how easy or hard it is to interact with your business and what customers are likely to do and feel about it.   3. Define Customer Touchpoints Touchpoints are the moments customers interact with your business and how they experience your brand. The number and scope of touchpoints will depend on the business. A car repair garage is different from a coffee shop, after all.  A customer might need to find you through a web search – how hard is it to reach your website? They might walk up to the counter and look over your menu – what kind of feelings does that elicit? List every interaction from the initial idea to interact with your business, through finding you, making a purchase, using the product or service, and the resulting impact. Include information in each touchpoint, like what the customer does, how they feel, and any challenges they face.   4. Map Current States Now organize your info on a graphic flow chart. Start with a timeline, placing touchpoints in order along it with employees/teams involved in each one. There's no "right" way to make it look, just as long as each step of a customer experience is accounted for. You should include how the customer feels and be as truthful as possible. This is the current state of the customer journey, and it should help show where things are working well and where they could be improved. If you have team members, make sure they share input on the steps of the process they are included in.   5. Map Future States Using your customer journey map, we now know how good the customer experience is – and where it could be better. It's time to start taking action. Referring back to the goals you initially established, determine where and how you could make the customer experience better.  Maybe the transition between one touchpoint and the next could be smoother or require less of the customer's time. Maybe that coffee shop menu could be bigger and easier to read. Maybe getting in contact with customer service about an issue after the purchase could be more pleasant and easier to access. Remember, a customer journey map is just a tool. It's not about playing the blame game but working together to create the best customer experience possible.   Learn how Cause Machine can help take your vision of a better customer experience and make it a reality. Schedule your free demo.  

It seems like everyone has a side hustle these days. Chalk it up to a changing economy and evolving worker preferences, but according to multiple employment studies, at least 30% of American workers have a job beyond their regular 9-5. And more people are joining those ranks each day. Maybe you’re interested in becoming one of those folks – there are plenty of reasons to, after all – but the thought of trudging back out into the world after job #1 is holding you back. Well, you could consider a side gig from home. With a fully-remote, part-time job in the digital economy, you can get all the benefits of a second job without subjecting yourself to two commutes. You could supplement your paycheck, follow a passion, work on professional development or even start that business you’ve always wanted to. It could be the perfect chance to try out a potential career move or just help you save extra money for a rainy day fund (or vacation). But where to start? Want to take your passion online where you own the data and experience? Schedule a free demo. Depending on your skills and experience, there’s probably something out there for you. Here we’ve gathered a list of 8 potential side gigs from home that could meet your needs and maybe even change your life.   8 Side-Gigs You Can Do From Home   1. Teach English Online If you are reading this, congrats! You have the first qualification for becoming an online teacher of English as a Second Language. There are many services that connect native English speakers with students all around the world and can even train you how to teach. Most of these gigs will require a college degree, but little else. Potential pay: $14-$22/hour    Job Board: VIPKid   2. Bookkeeping Every business or nonprofit needs someone to take care of the books – even as accounting programs get smarter and easier to use. But here’s a (not so) shocking truth: Most people do not feel comfortable enough with math to do it themselves. If you happen to be a math lover with a college degree and some basic accounting experience, freelance bookkeeping could be the plum side gig from home you’re looking for. Potential pay: $18/hour Job Board: PeoplePerHour   3. Photo Editing You don’t have to be a math or language wiz to score a sweet side gig from home. Creatives can get involved, too, and digital photo editing is a great option. If you’ve got some Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom skills and love touching up family photos (or cropping an unwanted ex out of the picture completely), you could already be in high demand.  Potential pay: Varies  Job Board: Guru    4. Online Tutoring Every semester, a new class of students sign up for important classes and every semester, just like clockwork, some of those students need help with the coursework. Suppose you are a recent grad, or even a working professional with expertise in a field like statistics, biology, or accounting. In that case, you could be the perfect fit for an online tutor. The best part of this side gig from home is this – on top of some extra cash, you also get to help someone succeed.      Potential pay: $18/hour Job Board: TutorMe   5. Start a Small Business Maybe you’ve been dreaming of being your own boss, and starting up a business of your own – but you just never have the time or energy. Here’s a secret: It doesn’t have to be huge, it doesn’t have to take up all of your time, and it doesn’t have to be your main gig. What about an Etsy shop, a car detailing biz, or any one of these other ideas? Even if you start small, your entrepreneurial spirit is priceless, and Cause Machine can help make your vision a professional success. Potential pay: Limitless Job Board: You make it yourself!   6. Transcription Journalists, writers, video producers, and many other professionals have a recurring problem that’s perfect for a side gig from home – extended interviews or audio recordings that need to be transcribed, word for word, and quickly. This potential side hustle is great because the only thing it really requires is decent typing skills and access to a computer. It’s a great way to earn some extra cash without spending much of your own brain power. Potential pay: $15-$22/audio hour Job Board: TranscribeMe!     7. Social Media Managing Well-run social media accounts have become a fundamental need for businesses, large and small. Whether they’re used for intensive marketing campaigns or just driving community engagement, someone has to run things. But not every business has an in-house option who’s both available and competent, so they sometimes hire freelancers. If you can demonstrate reliability and a good understanding of the social landscape, you could start posting your way to an extra paycheck. Potential pay: $15-$30/hour Job Board: Indeed   8. Resume Writing Finally, the simple fact you are reading this is proof that many people out there are job hunting. So if you’ve got concise writing skills and a keen eye for text design, why not consider resume writing? It can be done from anywhere and doesn’t require much in the way of hardware – just a word processor, really. And on top of helping others achieve their goal, or maybe even help provide their family with a better life, you get valuable experience for your own resume, too. Potential pay: $19/hour Job Board: FlexJobs   As time goes on and the working world evolves, it seems like having a side gig from home will only become more widespread – and perhaps more necessary. Use these suggestions to get started toward a goal now – whether it’s a fresh career path or just a little added financial security. You might thank yourself later.     Cause Machine Solutions One of the most significant pieces of what sets Cause Machine apart from other technology platforms is where we start… with a community engagement strategy. We begin all of our work on the foundation of engaging a community well and then begin mapping out the technology to help support that strategy. We’re certain that you’ll find some great resources and powerful tools in Cause Machine to better engage your community as well. Learn how it can work for you here.